Trousers supporter



Bis. MILLER.

TROUSERS SUPBORTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY i9 I92].

Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

EAQVAQG.

IN VEN TOR.

UNITD RAYMOND S. MILLER, 0F STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

TROUSERS SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented An st), 1922.

Application filed July 19, 1921. Serial No. 485,826.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, RAYMOND S. MrLLnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, county of San Joaquin, State. of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trousers Supporters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application. I

This invention relates to improvements in devices for supporting trousers, the principalobject being to provide a device, preferably fastened permanently to a pair of trousers, which will do away with the use and need of the ordinary form ofsuspenders or braces, and will serve not only to support the trousers but to hold the wearers shirt down besides.

Suspenders at best are a shoulder-tiring device, and in summer especially, add to a mans discomfort by reason of their binding effect on the body.

. Further, they are unsightly, so that many a man who would otherwise remove his coat during hot weather, is held from so doing by a feeling of dislike to expose his suspenders, knowing that many people, especially ladies, object to seeing a man so appareled among them.

Many men it is true use belts assupporting means, but besides the fact that a belt must usually be cinched up tighter than is altogether comfortable, a considerable number of men are so physically built as to be unable to support their trousers by the use of a belt, and hence have to cling to the old fashioned and uncomfortable suspenders.

With my improved device, any man, no matter of what build, may readily support his trousers with ease and comfort, and while the use of a belt also does not come amiss, on account of the finished appearance it presents, it is not necessary.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for the purpose which when in use is entirely concealed and does not in terfere in the slightest degree with the movements of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as willfully appear by a perusal of the following specification'and claims.

in the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a perspectiveoutline of the upper end of a pair of trousers, showing the position of one of my improved supporting attachments Fig. 2 is an enlarged the device, showing the means of connecting the same to a shirt.

Fig. 3 is a front view, detached, ofthe form of device shown in Fig. 2. i

Fig. .4 is a front View of a modified form of shirt-connecting member.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of rigid strip.-

The device is susceptible of being made in various manners, but its essential features vertical section of i comprise in any case a member 1, preferably in the form of a strip such asare used in womens corsets, and formed of any suitable material such as spring steel, bone, and similar natural or artificial compositions made to serve a like purpose, and which, while it can be bent, cannot be readily contracted or expanded. j

This member is adapted to be fastenedinside the trousers 2 either by the individual purchaser or by the trouser makers, there being preferably two of the strips, positioned at opposite sides of the trousers adjacent the side pockets, and extending from the top of the trousers vertically downward.

The strips are usually covered with a woven casing, by means of which they may be sewed onto the trousers from top to bottom of said strips, or they mayb'eprovided with eyelets 3 for the samepurpose.

These two methods are suggested, butany other means may be used asmay befound suitable. I

Connected to the lower end of the strip 1 and projecting upwardly therefrom is a substantial elastic strap 4, such as is used in the making of suspenders and the like, on the upper end of which strap (whichpreferably does not project above the top of the trousers and strip 1) is a catch member 5 adapted to be removably fastened to the 'wearers shirt 6, and facing the strip. The form of catch or clip used is preferably of the same type as that commonly used on garters and the like, which comprises a button 7 over which the shirt-goods is placed, and a clamp member 8 adapted to be then placed over thebutton and the goods surrounding the same. Other forms of attachment means may of course be employed if desired, and if desired, the strap may be placed between the over and under shirts and fastened to the latter, or it may be placed outside the over shirt and yet be fastened to both. This will of course depend on the taste of the individual wearer and the strain-taking qualities of the shirts worn.

The strap 4 may be permanently fastened to the member 1, as indicated in Fig. 1, or it may be detachably connected by a spring clip as at 9.

This latter form of connection is much to be preferred over the permanent type of fastening, since it forms a pivot which allows lateral swinging play of the member 4 relative to the member 1 about this connection 9. This possible swinging movement permits of the necessary shifting in vertical relation of the point of connection of the device with the trousers and with the shirt, without pulling on either member, and without twisting or cramping the strap 4.

Further, such a connection allows the two members of the device being readily disconnected at will, without detaching the strap from the shirt, so that if by trial the most comfortable and proper position of the shirt connection has been attained, it need not again be disturbed.

A take-up buckle 10 may also be included with the strap 4, so as to adjust the same to suit different conditions and to take up wear or stretching of the strap. This buckle may be as shown, or a slip-buckle to which the clip 8 is secured may be employed, in which case a single instead of a double thickness of strap 4 will be had throughout.

F or use particularly with portly men, or when the strain on a shirt may be thought to be too great with only one fastening clip on aside, thestrap 4" may be branched-to have two extensions 11 (see Fig. 4) each with its individual clip 12, these extensions being; connected to the main strap l by means of a rigid cross-arm 1.3 to maintain them in spaced relation.

In operation, the trousers are pulled up to hang in their desired position, and the shirt is then pulled down somewhat, and the strap at pulled taut and fastened to the shirt.

The rigid strips 1 prevent the trousers from sagging for a certain distance below the waist line, while the elastic in the straps allows a certain freedom of movement of the wearer vertically, while at the same time the shirt and trousers are continually drawn together maintaining them in their proper relation.

The point of connection of the strap being at the lower end of the strap 1, a consider able freedom of rotative movement of the wearer at the waist line is permitted without pullin on both shirt and trousers.

Another form of main strip 1 may be used, having a transverse button hole 14. at

its upper end and a vertical and relatively long button hole 15 at its lower end. The upper hole is adapted to receive the usual suspender-button l6, and has a lower and central depression 17 to seat the connecting threads of the button While an additional button 18 would be sewed to the trousers to be passed through the slot 15. In this manner the strip is readily detached, while at the same time, a certain amount of vertical movement of the trousers relative to the strip is allowed.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

lVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A trousers supporter com prising a strip adapted to be fixed to and depend downwardly from the top of the trousers, a strap adapted at its upper end for connection to the shirt of the wearer, and a combined piv otal and releasable connection between the strip and strap adjacent their lower ends.

2. A trousers supporter comprising a strip adapted to be fixed to and depend. downwardly from the top of the trousers, a strap adapted at itsupper end for connection to the shirt off the wearer, a fastening member on the strip, and a co-operating fastening member on the strap, the latter member being detachable from the first named member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RAYMOND S. MILLER. 

